In recent years, news and journalism have focused on whether or not Yoga can cause physical injuries. Yoga blog sites are now filled with articles explaining how to protect and align your body while practicing asanas and avoiding injuries. There are no guarantees in Yoga or life. However, you can take additional steps to ensure a safe practice. These include posture modifications.
How to practice Yoga safely
Whether you are a beginner, have a medical condition, or have practiced Yoga for years, it is essential to build a solid foundation. Pay attention to your body and warm up correctly. Avoid red flags. Modify with props. Knowing where to begin can be difficult for beginners or those with physical limitations. Determining which studio, teacher, or class is best for you can be challenging if you do not know the language. It’s possible that you won’t find the right yoga studio or class the first time. Or even several times. It’s okay to be patient as you learn yoga terminology and poses. As you practice and pay attention, you’ll begin to notice what feels good.
Safety Tips for Yoga Beginners or People with Health Conditions
Discuss your new exercise program with a doctor or physical therapist. You should also discuss it with a doctor if you are pregnant or have a medical condition. You can also find classes at some hospitals and clinics.
Educate yourself. Visit Yoga For Beginners or Yoga Therapy to learn what poses are not recommended and which could be helpful.
Slow down. You can stick to the basics and slow down. Find gentle, level 1, beginner, or back care classes. Some classes cater to specific needs, such as those for osteoporosis or depression. You can find Yoga for hip, lower back, joint pain, and more. Avoid Hot Yoga and other types of yoga classes that use the words hot or vigorous when describing them.
Do not rely on the yoga teacher to look after you. Even the best teachers, who have researched extensively and provided you with modifications in class, may not remember. Listen to your body, and do what is best for you. (See “educate yourself” above.)
Props are a great way to learn how to modify poses.
Do not compare yourself with the person on your yoga mat or your instructor. Don’t compare yourself with yourself from previous practices or your expectations. Each moment is unique, so how you felt yesterday might differ from how you feel today.
Do not rush. Your current position is ideal. It is egotistical to push yourself into more difficult poses, styles, or classes before you’re ready. Be mindful of what your body is telling you. You can do that…
The pose is not what you’re aiming for.
Listen and listen to your body. Don’t do anything that doesn’t feel good. You should safely leave the pose if you feel any discomfort.
Breathe. The act of breathing helps to calm both the mind and body. While there are many different breathing styles to choose from, simply breathing through your nose can dramatically affect how you feel.
Safety Tips for Yoga Practitioners
Do not skip the basics. Make sure you do not let your ego allow you to ignore these safety tips because you think you are “advanced.”
Try to practice with the mind of a novice. Take one if you haven’t taken a class for a while or a different class style.
Be open to new methods of practicing poses, even if it’s been a long time since you started. See “Practice with a Beginner’s Mind” above.
Pay attention to what your body needs. What they say is what matters, not what you believe they mean. Stick with what works. If it does not work, you should change it.
Evaluate your foundation. Are you taking shortcuts, or are you sloppy? Aren’t you anxious to get to more “challenging poses”? You may be tempted to push yourself too hard, even though you know better. Focus on building strength and a solid foundation.
What to do if you get hurt
Sometimes, even the best of intentions and ideas can fail and cause harm to others. In these situations, you can learn much about yourself and your instructor. Tell your teacher immediately if you feel that you have hurt yourself. It won’t hurt them, and if they can’t help you or understand what happened, the feedback will be helpful to them. You can learn much about yourself by examining your thoughts and actions just before getting hurt. This will give you clues to your weaknesses or how much your ego is involved. It is important to give your body time to heal after an injury and slowly return to the practice.